St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-02
The Governor Says the Seal Com.
pany Is q Grinding Monopoly.

Inc UOVernOf says tne sea- COnt.
pany Is a Grinding Monopoly.
WASHINGTON, Nov. IA. P. SWINE
ford, governor of Alaska, in his annual
report says that the white population is
principally confined to the southeastern
section, embracing the SO-cailed ''tEirty-
mile strip" of main land, geographical
division, which includes less than one
twentieth of the whole territory. The
population of the territory is estimated
as follows: Whites, 5000; creoles
practically whites), 1900; Aleuts, $500;
natives partially educated and civilized,
$500; total civilized population, 1900;
unciviliZed natives, $4,000: total pOpu-
ton, SO, 400. The governor says that
100000 is a conservative estimate of
the value of all taxable property in the
territory, exclusive of the Alaska
Commercial company's establishments
on the seal islands. The increase, he
says, will be rapid as soon as congress
by the necessary legislation gives en-
enlargement to the settlement of public
lands. The report says that very little
has been accomplished or indeed at
tempted in the way of agricultural de-
velopment; this. Notwithstanding there's
is very considerable acreage OF tillable
land in Southeastern Alaska, with a
soil that produces a most luxurious veg
citation, the fact being that no one comes
into the territory with the belief that
either the soil or the climate is adapted
to agriculture or horticulture pursuits,
but the few experiments which have
been made leave no room for doubt that
all the cereals, except corn, can be
grown to perfection in many sections.
Nothing has yet been done in the way
of stock raising, although the winters of
Southeastern Alaska
ARE MUCH MILDER
than tho Sc of Montana, Wyoming and
Dakota, and the seasons altogether
quite we'll adapted to this industry.
The governor says wonderful results
the territory to be rich in the precious
metals. The mine on Douglas Island
during the year has turned out 100000
per month, and there are rich placer
diggings on Shitando river. The gov
ernOr says that it is reported that Mr..
Ogilvie, who was sent out by the Do
miniOn government last spring to locate
the boundary line between Alaska and
the Northwest territory, claims that the
Shitando river is in British territory,
and has suggested that On the strength
of his report his government is likely to
attempt next summer the collection of
miners licenses provided for in the
Canadian law. The governor says any
attempt of this kind will be resisted by
the miners, large majority OF whom
are American citizens, and if persisted
in will certainly end in blOodShed, and
suggests that in view of the imminent
danger of such troubles the recommend
alton to congress in behalf of joint
commission to definitely settle the
boundary line be urgently renewed.
The salmon, cod and whale fisheries, he
saws, yielded about S3,000,000 during the
year. Considerable space in the report
is devoted to the doingS of the Alaska
Commercial company. which holds a
lease from the government for the fur
privileges of the Seal islands.
The governor declares that the
company does not confne its
operations to these islands. but
holds most of the Aleutian chain, and
the greater part of the mainland as its
undisputed principally; that it OPP
presses the unsupervised natives and
has reduced them to practical slavery
by paying such small sums for peltrieS
that the poor seal hunters are always in
their debt: that it has marked the coin
of the country passing through its hands
and will accept no unmarked DIN from
the natives: that it has be; Jotted and
driven away honest government officers
who refused to do its bidding; in short,
that it is grinding monopoly; that it
discourages development of the cOun-
try, and violates the law by selling
breech-loading firearms to the natives.
The governor says that if the contract
with this company cannot be rescinded,
it should not be renewed.